Tag Archives: Hugo Chavez

Mets fans might remember former Met Luis Sojo for his game-winning hit in Game 5 of the 2000 World Series. He’s now the manager of Venezuela’s WBC team and this morning said he knows Johan Santana is sad for not being able to pitch in the Classic.

Pointing to Santana, Sojo yelled to Mets manager Terry Collins: “He was supposed to pitch for me today. What happened?”

SOJO: Talks about Santana.

Santana long-tossed and fielded bunts while throwing off the mound this morning. He has not yet spoken to reporters about the death of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.

“I talked to (Santana) a lot this winter,” Sojo said. “We understand the situation (about Santana not being allowed to pitch by the Mets). It is unfortunate. Right now, I know he’s sad. He has a good relationship with the players. I know how much he wanted to play.”

Sojo said the controversial Chavez’s death created an emotional cloud in his clubhouse.

“He used to be a baseball guy,” Sojo said. “A lot of times I got the phone call at 7 in the morning. I like to sleep. ‘Hey, that was the president, and he wants to talk to you.’ And after the games, the WBC, he used to call me. I mean, he loved baseball and he knows everybody … all the guys that I used to have on the teams. That was my relationship with him, over the phone.

“One time … I know we got the lead, like three runs in the third inning or fourth inning, and somebody scored five runs. He called me and said, ‘How come you don’t bring [in] Francisco Rodriguez? He said, ‘Hey, he’s the closer, I can pitch him in the fourth, so you should know that.’ ”

Rodriguez is on the Venezuelan team and chatted with Santana and Terry Collins before this afternoon’s game.